‘I could've killed them all’: Sky News church terrorism report panned as parody (VIDEO)
A Sky News reporter is being blasted online for a sensationalist terrorism report at a church in southeast England, where he confidently declared, “If I was a terrorist, I could have killed them all.”
Journalist Martin Brunt was reporting from outside the parish church of St James Weybridge in Surrey, in what appears to be a random check on the security of churches in Britain following the terrorist attack at a church in Normandy, France earlier this week.
READ MORE: ISIS hostage takers kill 84yo priest at French church, reportedly slitting his throat
Two so-called soldiers of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) fatally stabbed priest Father Jacques Hamel, 84, on Tuesday in an attack launched during morning mass. The attackers were killed by police snipers while trying to flee the scene.
In his report, Brunt stands outside the Anglican church, noting the lack of security and pointing out the sign at the church door which says “everybody is welcome.”
This is actual sky news and not a spoof pic.twitter.com/4yyICC1H8f
— Bobby Faghihi (@BobbyFaghihi) July 28, 2016
He then walks into the morning service in the church in Weybridge, some 20 minutes into the proceedings, before coming out and declaring to the camera there are about a dozen worshippers and one minister inside.
“If I was a terrorist, I could have killed them all,” he morbidly adds.
Weybridge has one of the lowest crime rates in its region, at a rate of 5.78 percent for May 2016 - or 126 crime reports - according to UK crime statistics for May 2016.
The alarmist report was uploaded online by Twitter user Bobby Faghihi. His friend can also be heard in the clip, yelling in disbelief at what he calls ‘Alan Partridge-style’ journalism. Partridge is a character created by comedian Steve Coogan.
His tweet has already been retweeted over 6,000 times as other members of the Twitterati weighed in, describing the segment as something out of Brass Eye - a British parody current affair program.
@BobbyFaghihi genuine Brasseye, that
— Alex Stewart (@AFHStewart) July 28, 2016
@BobbyFaghihi Amazing. Churches need added security to protect them from inane journalists
— Helen Lippell (@octodude) July 28, 2016
@BobbyFaghihi@celticrumours Alan partridge eat your heart out. Even Steve Coogan couldn't have come up with something so bizarre
— Mark M (@Markm19682002) July 28, 2016
@BobbyFaghihi 12 people in a church with no security. Heaven forbid!!! 😂😂
— Wendolph Red (@WendolphRed) July 28, 2016
@BobbyFaghihi@BestoftheMailpic.twitter.com/aQkHwrTtaz
— (((Graham))) (@GrahamGham) July 28, 2016